They Understand Me in Brooklyn
by Chloe Chamberleign
Summary: How Spot became a Brooklyn newsie and eventually the fearless leader. I'm bad at summaries, I'm sorry :)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own. So sad :(

**AN: This is basically my take on how Spot became a Brooklyn newsie and eventually their leader. Please Review if you want a chapter 2!**

Chapter 1

Charlie Conlon stood defiantly staring at the tenement house. There was no point in trying to go back in the front door again. Mrs. Carp, the landlady, would only call the police again and Charlie did not want that.

He figured that Mrs. Carp had done all she could, allowing him to go on living in the small flat for the last two weeks of the month, since it was already paid for. But now that Papa was dead, he knew that Mrs. Carp really didn't have any other choice but to throw them out.

He had fought, and begged her to let them stay, but Mrs. Carp finally called the police and asked them to take the children to an orphanage. When Charlie heard those words, he grabbed his little sister's hand and fled.

Charlie promised his mother that he would take care of Alison, his three year old sister. If they ended up at an orphanage, they would be split up. At an orphanage, Alison would be adopted right away, because she was young and adorable. Charlie, who was already eight years old, would never be adopted. His scrawny, thin body couldn't handle heavy farm work, and his cold and dismissive attitude turned folks away.

"I wanna go home," Alison whined. Charlie looked down at her helplessly.

"We can't go home. We don't got any money."

"Why?" Alison asked in a baby sing song voice.

"Because Papa's gone to heaven."

"Why don't we go get him? Then we can all go home."

Charlie sighed, how he wished it were that easy.

"Alison, when a person goes to heaven, they can't ever come back. So we are going to have to live without Papa."

Tears filled Alison's eyes. Charlie could tell that she was getting ready to sit down and throw a fit. That had always worked whenever she wanted anything. But when she peeked up at him, Charlie gave her a stern stare. She looked frightened.

"I'm hungry," was all she squeaked out.

"I'm hungry too, but I don't know where to get any food without money."

Charlie and Alison were standing at the corner, a block away from the tenement house they called home, but everything looked strange.

The New York street was busy with people coming and going. Carts were set up along the road, with people selling all sorts of items. Kids were playing ball in front of the long row of tenement houses.

No one noticed two lone kids. No one cared. Charlie knew many of the others who lived in the tenement houses didn't have enough money or food to even pay for their own family, none of them were about to take in two more mouths to feed.

While they stood on the corner, Charlie wondered what to do next. Suddenly, Charlie noticed an older boy running down the street. He wore clothes that hung like rags on him, and a bundle of papers were under his arm. He didn't call out to the other kids on the street. Instead, Charlie saw him disappear into an alley.

_He must be a newsie_, Charlie thought to himself. _Maybe if I ask him, he can tell me where Alison and I can get some food. Mama always told me that the kids who sell papers know everythin_g _there is to know about how to survive._

"Come on, Alison." Charlie grabbed his younger sister's hand and started to pull her along.

"Slow down, Charlie."

"I can't, you gotta hurry up."

Alison tried to run along with him, but she wasn't fast enough and before they had even crossed the street, Alison tripped and fell.

"Ouwwwww," Alison started crying.

Charlie noticed that she had scraped her knee. "You're okay." He pulled her back up.

"My knee hurts."

"I know, come on." Charlie picked the small child up and carried her, as he once again started to run towards the alley where the newsie had turned.

Charlie ran as quickly as he could, but carrying his little sister slowed him down. It wasn't long before he was out of breath and had to stop. He was glad to see that he was only a few steps from the alley where the older boy had gone.

Charlie slowed, allowing himself to catch his breath. When he reached the end of the alley, he squinted his eyes and tried to see the other end.

It was very dark in the alley. There were all sorts of boxes and bags of garbage strewn all over the place. He really couldn't see that far in.

_It's funny, _he thought. _I've lived right across the street from this alley all these years and have never had to go into it._

A cat cried somewhere in the alley, but other than that it was very quiet. Charlie's hands felt wet. He wasn't sure if it was because it was such a hot day or because he was afraid.

"Come on," he whispered down at his little sister and began walking into the alley.

Alison gripped his sweaty hand tightly. "It's dark in here, Charlie." She looked around. "I don't like it. No, no, I don't."

Suddenly, a hand came out from the shadows and clamped around Charlie's mouth. Charlie's mind went blank. His first instinct was to scream, which he did, but it was muffled by the rough and calloused hand over his mouth. He then kicked and waved his arms around, but the hand's owner was strong. Alison was too frightened to say or do anything.

Charlie felt warm breath against his ear and then a low whisper. "Don't make a sound, kid, and everything'll be okay."

But Charlie wasn't about to follow the directions of some mysterious assaulter. He bit down hard on the hand. A short yelp of pain was heard from behind him. "Jesus Christ!" The same voice cried painfully. Charlie, now free, turned to look at his captor. It was a tall, thin, brown-eyed boy of about sixteen with straight, dark-brown hair under a newsboy cap. He had a small smattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose. He cradled his hand, dropped the bundle of papers he was carrying, and looked down at Charlie in a what-the-hell expression.

Charlie took Alison's hand and pushed her slightly behind him; he was in defensive mode. "Look, I don't got any money or food, so please just let my sister and me go." Charlie said in his best intimidating voice, which for an eight-year-old, was pretty good.

The boy scrunched his eyebrows. He then shook his head in a confused manner and shushed Charlie. "Don't say anything for the next thirty seconds." He commanded forcefully. He gripped Charlie by the shoulders and placed him into a deep but snug corner in the alley and placed Alison more gently in front of Charlie. He then whispered, "Stay there and don't make a sound," and crept very secretive over to the brick wall of the alley entrance.

He watched in silence as ten or so seconds passed by. Alison drew out an impatient breath, and the boy turned sharply and put a finger to his lips. He looked back out and glanced up and down the street several times before walking back over to the two children. He helped them out of the snug corner and back into the alley.

"Why?" Charlie was able to say.

The boy looked around again and shrugged. "Why what?"

Charlie furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head in curiosity. "Why did you make us hide?"

"Who said I was hidin' ya two?"

"Well, you told us to be real quiet and stay there while you checked the street." Charlie shrugged, still wanting some answers.

The boy straightened. "There is some guys who is aftah me at the moment, so I have to be on my guard." He laughed at Charlie's disbelieving expression. "Why don't ya believe me?"

Charlie didn't say anything, but looked down at his little sister. The boy smiled slightly when his gaze rested on Alison. He bent down to her level. "Ya sure are cute. What's your name?"

Alison blushed and tried hiding behind Charlie. "Her name is Alison." Charlie answered.

The boy smiled, trying to look friendly. "Hi, Alison. I ain't gonna hurt ya," he said in a soft voice.

Charlie took her hand. "She's not good with strangers."

Standing back up, the boy spit in his hand and held it out to Charlie. "My name is Finn."

Charlie stared reluctantly at the hand. _What kind of a name is 'Finn'? Yuck, shaking a hand that's been spit in? _Charlie didn't want to seem like an outcast, so he shook Finn's hand. "Charlie Conlon."

Finn cracked a smile. "Youse is supposed to spit in your hand, too." Charlie's cheeks flushed at the mistake but he ducked his head so Finn couldn't see it.

"Do you know where we could get food?" Charlie asked the older boy. "I don't got any money."

Finn looked from Charlie to the little girl. "First time on the streets?" He guessed. Charlie shrugged in response. Finn licked his lips and gestured to Alison. "She your sister?" Charlie nodded. Finn shook his head. "A little advice, kid. Get her off the streets. Take her to an orphanage."

Charlie shook his head, quickly and already rejecting that idea. "No, I can't. They'll split us up."

Finn nodded. "I know. I had a little brother who was about her age. I made them promise not to let him get adopted, but one day while I was out selling papers, he was adopted. No papers for me sign or nothin'. Never saw him again."

It looked like Finn was going to start crying, but he only sniffled and plastered on a sad smile. "So, how can I'se help you two?"

"How old do you have to be to become a newsie?" Charlie asked, his blue eyes glazed in hope.

Finn tilted his head and scrunched his eyebrows. "I guess ya have to be old enough to walk and talk and read." He paused for a moment, a teasing and light sparkle in his brown eyes. "Can you do that?" He asked Charlie.

"Of course." He answered honestly.

Finn nodded, and then gestured to Alison. "But can she do it?"

Charlie glanced down at his little sister who was hiding behind his legs. "She can learn."

Alison looked up at her brother. "But I don't know how to read, Charlie," she whispered.

Finn chuckled. "Ya won't have to. Newsies make up headlines all the time. And besides, you're an adorable little girl, they'll pay ya anyway." Finn held out his hand to Alison, not spitting in it. Alison smiled a little and shook it, her hand so much tinier and smoother than his.

"Thanks," Charlie mumbled, looking down at the ground. Finn cracked a smile, for Charlie's attitude reminded him of the young child he once was.

"No problem." Finn answered, musing Charlie's hair. Charlie grimaced and fixed his hair back in place. Finn chuckled. "Seeing how neither of youse got any place to stay, ya wanna stay at the lodgin' house? Rent is only five cents a night." Finn lit a cigarette from his pocket, and then waited while Charlie thought about it.

"And food?"

"Only two cents more if ya eat dinner there. But most of us use the money we earn to eat out."

Charlie scrunched his eyebrows as he thought it over. "Can we, Charlie?" Alison's voice squeaked from behind her brother. "Please?"

Finn took the cigarette from his lips. "Look, if ya wanna do right by ya sister, here, I suggest you take my offer."

Finally, Charlie nodded, rather reluctantly. "Lead the way."

**Like? Dislike? Let me know what you think so far. Reviews are always appreciated. And if you haven't already checked it out, go on youtube and look up Newsies Rap Battle and it's like Annie vs. Newsies characters. It's so cute!**


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome Home

Disclaimer: No own

******AN: This continues from Chapter 1, so if you haven't read that yet, I recommend you go read it now or else this chapter won't make much sense :) Thank you for the wonderful reviews! Shout-out to LovesBrooklyn, Spots1Newsiesgirl, Twitchy, and God'sgirlforever for being the first to leave a review. Let me know if you want a Chapter 3!**

Grinning, Finn turned on his heels, placing the cigarette back in his mouth and walking with them trailing behind out of the alley. "So. Tell me about yourselves." He asked, trying to make conversation as he led them through the busy side streets.

"There's not really much worth telling." Charlie admitted, not-so-eagerly.

Finn shrugged and thought. "Where are you two from and how old are you?"

"I was eight last April, and Alison turned three last December," said Charlie, resigning himself to respect Finn with a little sigh. "And we were born here in Brooklyn. Our father's name was Thomas Conlon, and he was a schoolteacher. Our mother's name was Katherine Conlon."

"Aren't Thomas and Katherine lovely names? I'm so glad our parents had nice names." Alison piped up from holding Charlie's hand tightly as they walked along with Finn.

"Well, our mother was a schoolteacher, too," Charlie continued. "But when she married father she gave up teaching, of course. Mrs. Carp, the landlady, said that they were very young and as poor as church mice. They went to live in a small little yellow house in Brooklyn. I've never seen that house, but I've heard Mama talk about it thousands of times. I was born in that house. Then they moved to the tenements on Bayberry Street after the house caught fire. Mrs. Carp said I was the tiniest baby she ever saw, but Mama loved me. I should think a mother would be a better judge than a poor landlady, wouldn't you? I'm glad she was satisfied with me anyhow, I would feel so sad if I thought I was a disappointment to her-because she didn't live very long after that, you see. She died of fever when Alison was just three months old."

"I wish she'd lived long enough for me to remember calling her mama. I think it would be so sweet to say `mama,' don't you?" Alison put in, looking as though she might cry.

"And Papa…I think loosing Mama was just too much for him. He raised us as best he could, but was fired from his work because he started not showing up. He spent most of his time drinking, but he was just too depressed to do anything else. Papa made sure we had a roof over our heads and food, but we rarely saw him anymore. He locked himself in his room one night and…" Charlie couldn't finish the rest. "After he died, Mrs. Carp kicked us out." Charlie finished up with another sigh, of relief this time. Evidently he did not like talking about his experiences in a world that had not wanted him or his sister.

"Did you ever go to school?" asked Finn as he took a sharp right into another alley passage, making sure the two children were still following him.

"Not a great deal. I went a little the last year before Mama died. I can read pretty well. Papa was going to teach Alison to read, but…"

"Was you're pa good to ya?" asked Finn, looking at Charlie out of the corner of his eye.

"O-o-o-h," faltered Charlie. His sensitive little face suddenly flushed scarlet and embarrassment sat on his brow. "Oh, he meant to be-I know he meant to be just as good and kind as possible. He had a good deal to worry him, you know. It must've been very hard to loose a wife, you see; and it must be very hard to have two kids to raise on your own, don't you think? But at least he tried."

Finn looked down at little Alison, who bit her lip and kept quiet through this. "You wanna say somethin', kid?"

Alison looked up at her brother and then nervously at Finn. Finally, she blurted out, her eyes filled with tears, "Papa didn't mean to, okay? Sometimes, he was just angry, and Charlie got in his way…" Tears began pouring from her eyes and onto her cheeks.

Charlie looked down at his little sister angrily. "That's enough, Alison." He said, sharply. Finn raised an eyebrow in concern. "Papa was just depressed, that's all." Charlie said quickly.

Finn decided not to press the issue any further, seeing how nervous Charlie was and how upset it made the little girl. He asked no more questions and the three walked in silence as they reached the Brooklyn lodging house for newsies. He opened the green door and held it for them. "Welcome home,"

Charlie glanced into the large but crowded room and gulped nervously. In the lobby, right where Charlie first walked in, there was a small brown flower pot on a large desk in the corner that housed a withered blue flower that hadn't seen sunlight in days. The desk was like a semi-circle, and behind it was a door that read in thick, black letters OFFICE. There was a thick, leather-bound book at the corner of the desk with a pen in the centerfold. Lines filled the pages, and on each line, a signature was sloppily scribbled in various handwritings. Some only were initials, while others were full names, nicknames, and several x's.

A thick splotch of white paint was stained on the otherwise wooden floors, which were scuffed with mud and dust. The main part of the lodging house was basically one big, echoing room that held a few moth-eaten couches. A hallway extended to the left, bending around a corner to conceal a flight of stairs.

Off to the right, was a small kitchen with a coal burning stove. The hallway was dark as lighting was only from a single window, and since it was already darkening out, there wasn't much brightness.

Several boys ranging in ages from twelve to seventeen sat around lazily in the large room, dangling cigarettes from their lips, playing a few games of cards, or just chatting. Most of them looked up when Finn opened the door and the two strange little kids walked in. The other minority didn't even acknowledge them. They waited for Finn to say something.

Finn walked in behind the two after closing the door. He clapped a hand over Charlie's shoulder. "This is Charlie and Alison Conlon. They'se gonna be newsies, so I want everyone to treat them with the same respect you would with me. Ya got that?" His voice was calm and controlled, and they all seemed to listen without hesitation.

Slowly, they nodded and mumbled their agreements before getting back to their previous activities. Charlie felt uncomfortable, especially because him and his sister were the youngest, and because they were new.

The two stood in the entranceway like their shoes were glued to the floor. Finn looked down at them. "Here, I'll show ya where youse'll be sleepin'." He said, gesturing for them to follow as he made his way to where the stairs were in the dark hallway.

Charlie quickly followed, not wanting to be left alone with the group of strangers. He loosened his grip on Alison's hand, not wanting to seem like a weakling who held his little sister's hand.

The stairs creaked with age, and Finn shuffled up them swiftly. Once they reached the second floor, Finn pointed to the second door. "That's the bunkroom where the newsies sleep." He opened the door and walked in. "Come on in," he said.

Charlie reluctantly stepped into the room, and found more newsies hanging around the bunkbeds. Finn gave the same introduction as he did downstairs and the reactions were the same. Finn opened a door in the bunkroom and led them into a large washroom. A pump was in the corner, and the room was blisteringly cold. The pump water looked frozen, since it was early March. There were several stall like rooms that held toilets. And there were about five sinks with running cold water, like the one sink in the kitchen.

"Water for washing dishes, clothes, and taking baths is heated on the stove." Finn explained as Alison and Charlie looked around the room.

Charlie turned back to the doorway and bumped into something – or rather someone. Charlie looked up at the tall man that stood before him. He had stubble across his chin and piercing green eyes. Charlie gulped.

Finn grinned and leaned against the wall. "This is Benson; he owns the lodging house and runs it. Benson, this is Charlie and Alison. They'll be newsies and staying here."

Benson looked down at the two from his tall stance. He didn't look unfriendly, but there was a seriousness to him that made Charlie tremble a bit. "Hello, sir," Charlie said, offering his hand.

Benson shook his hand and nodded. "Good evening, young man." His voice was deep and his expression never changed. He was in his late forties, and his eyes sparkled with wisdom. He bent down slightly and offered a half smile to Alison, who shied behind Charlie. "And who is this little lady?"

"She's my sister," Charlie mumbled. Benson looked up at him and smiled fully.

"You must be a good older brother. She clings to you very much." Benson then turned to Finn. "Well, carry on with the tour. I'm sorry for interrupting, but it is Friday, and as you know, rent is collected by no later than seven-thirty sharp."

Finn nodded and waited for Benson to walk back down the rickety, old staircase. Once he was gone, Finn turned to Charlie. "Benson has been running this place for as long as I can remember. His wife passed away ten years ago. He maintains the halls and stairs and sweeps the sidewalk in front of the lodge. The government pays him."

Charlie glanced around the bunkroom. Despite the amount of boys there, the place was surprisingly clean. A wrought iron fire escape led out the one window in the bunkroom on the far side. The window was closed, due to the chilly weather.

Charlie gazed out the window. The lodge was situated right next to the docks. To the right was a factory of some kind. On the left hand side was a slaughterhouse, and directly behind was a power station. This meant the air surrounding the lodge was polluted; there was a lot of noise, and the presence of foul and obnoxious smells.

"In the summertime, sometimes when it gets too hot, we sleep on the fire escape or even the roof," Finn explained, jolting Charlie away from his thoughts as he stared out the window.

A mouse scuttled across the floor. Alison shrieked and jumped on one of the bunk beds. One of the boys laughed at her terrified and utterly disgusted expression. She looked as though she might start crying again, and Charlie could not have that. "It was just a mouse," Charlie said to her, as if that would help.

Finn stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Oh yeah, there is a tiny problem with vermin. Ya know, mice and rats and roaches. But ya learn to deal with 'em."

Charlie glanced back out the window. Pigs roamed the alleyways. Horse carts rolled by, toppling over the cobblestone streets at a steady clip-clop. The bunk room itself was about twenty-five feet wide. About twenty something bunk beds lined the walls. "So you'll be sleepin' in here." Finn said, directing his gaze to Charlie.

Charlie nodded, and then pointed to his sister. 'What about Alison?"

Finn smiled and nodded reasonably. "I can't have her sleepin' in here with a bunch of boys."

"But she's my sister. I need to be with her."

"I know that. But wouldn't you rather her be in a room with all girls?"

Charlie shrugged. "I guess so."

Finn nodded. "Okay then. Follow me." The two little children followed him out of the bunkroom and down the hall. On the third door on the left, Finn paused and knocked.

"Hello?" Came a girl's voice from the other side.

"It's me, Finn. Can I come in?" He asked politely.

The door opened, and a seemingly tall, green-eyed girl appeared in the doorway. Her hair was a deep red, tussled in curls around her shoulders. Light freckles kissed the top of her shoulders. Her lips were pink, and they curved up in a smile upon seeing Finn. "Hey," She said and then noticed the two raggedy children behind him. "And who are these adorable little munchkins?" She asked, her voice a bit raspy as if she'd been yelling all day.

Finn smiled back, and gestured to the two. "Charlie and Alison, meet Rain Wilder."

Rain crouched down to Alison's eye level. "Aren't you just the cutest little girl?" She cooed, grinning a bright smile. Alison blushed and giggled at the attention from the older girl.

Rain looked about Finn's age. She was tall, but he had a good five inches on her. "How old are they?"

Finn placed a hand on Charlie's thin shoulder. "Eight and three. I was kinda hopin' you and the others could look after Alison for me while I look after Charlie."

Charlie frowned. He did not need looking after. He was turning nine next month for goodness sake. Rain smiled widely and stood back up. "Of course!" She turned to little Alison. "We're going to have so much fun." She stepped back in the room and Charlie was able to glance in. It was just like the boys' bunkroom, only populated by girls instead. It was clear there was an unspoken but strict no-boy-in-girls'-room-and-vice-versa policy, for Finn didn't go past the doorway.

Rain led Alison into the room. Before she walked in, though, Alison turned and hugged her brother tightly. "Goodnight, Charlie." She said, her eyes looking sad.

Charlie hugged her back. "Night, Alison."

"He'll be right down the hall if ya need him." Finn reassured her. Rain grinned again and squeezed Alison's hand.

"Come on, I'll introduce ya to everyone." She squealed, and then closed the door after saying a quick goodbye to Charlie and Finn.

Finn turned and walked back to the boys' bunkroom with Charlie behind. "So are the girls newsies, too?" Charlie asked, curious.

"Uh-huh," Finn answered opening the bunkroom door. He pointed to a bunk in the far right corner. "That bunk is unoccupied. It's yours, if ya want it." Charlie nodded and walked over to it, sitting on the bottom bunk mattress. "I got my own room down the hall. So just knock if ya need anything." He turned to leave the bunkroom.

"Wait, you're going?" Charlie asked, suddenly feeling terrified of being left in a bunkroom full of boys he didn't know.

Finn shrugged and nodded. "I got some stuff to take care of before lights out. But I'll come to wake youse all up tomorrow at six o'clock sharp, so get plenty of sleep."

"But…what about rent?" Charlie asked nervously.

Finn waved his hand. "Don't worry about it for tonight. I'll cover yours and Alison's for now. Tomorrow you two can sell and earn some money. And don't worry about payin' me back."

Charlie smiled and relaxed. Finn looked satisfied at the kid's smile. He hadn't seen him smile at all yet. Finn turned to go but paused in the doorway when he heard the younger boy's voice. "Finn?" Charlie called out suddenly.

"Yeah, kid?" Finn asked, turning.

Charlie paused and thought over everything that had happened. He looked up shyly and gave a half-smile. "Thanks…for everything." He said timidly, so small in a room with all the older, tougher boys.

Finn grinned sincerely and nodded. "No problem. Now get some sleep." And then he was gone from the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

**What do you think? Good? Not Good? Review and let me know what should happen next!**


	3. Chapter 3: Meet the Gang

Disclaimer: You get the idea.

**AN: Continuation of Chapter 2! Leave a review for chapter 3 please :) I haven't updated anything on here in so long. I've been so busy with school and homework and friends and just life in general. But I'm back...didn't mean to make that sound creepy :) So I hope you enjoy this chapter. Keep carrying the banner and skipping down the street, unless you're Crutchy and you have to hobble down the street :D**

Chapter 1

Charlie sat on the bunk bed thinking about everything. Thinking about his parents, thinking about his sister, thinking about being a newsie. He had made a friend in Finn. Or, maybe 'friend' wasn't the right word yet. Ally was a better, safer word for now. He wasn't in the position to make any enemies. He was small and scrawny and couldn't win a fight, and quite frankly, he didn't have the energy to deal with a foe at the moment, especially in a small place like the lodging house.

An older boy who had been watching Charlie for quite some time now, made his way over to where the younger boy was sitting. He offered a smile and sat down next to him. The boy looked about fifteen or sixteen, and he had sandy blonde hair and a catchy grin. "You new?" He asked.

Charlie nodded, too shy to say anything.

"The name's Crew. Crew Woodside." He spit in his hand and offered it to Charlie. Charlie, remembering his mistake the first time this was offered to him, spit in his own hand before shaking Crew's. He thought the gesture was gross, but he would do anything to fit in. "Charlie, right?"

Again, Charlie simply nodded.

"Not very chatty, are ya?" Crew observed, quirking an eyebrow. "That's okay for now, but youse is gonna have to be loud if ya wanna sell the headlines." Crew chuckled.

Charlie gave a small smile. "How long have you been a newsie?"

Crew smiled softly at Charlie's voice finally sounding. "Since I was about your age, kid. I'm sixteen now."

"Oh," Charlie said, nodding.

"Looks like Finn thinks ya got potential." Crew said, nodding.

"What's 'potential'?" Charlie asked.

"It means you've got a good chance of makin' it as a newsie." Crew said, patting his shoulder. Charlie flinched slightly at the touch, but realized Crew meant no harm by it. "You're lucky, kid. Finn doesn't usually take in strays just like that. You must've made a pretty good impression."

"What do you mean 'good impression'?" Charlie asked, crinkling his eyebrows and staring up at the older boy.

Crew looked confused. "Didn't Finn tell ya? He's the leader of us Brooklyn newsies." When Charlie didn't respond at first, Crew explained further. "He's kinda like the guy who keeps everyone and everything together. When times get tough, we gotta have someone strong to look up to, ya know? Kinda like a…" Crew thought for a moment and then smiled. "Kinda like a family."

Charlie nodded, a smile creeping to his lips. Family was something he knew. It was warm, loving, and kind. He feared he'd never know that feeling again after both Mama and Papa died.

"So," Crew began again, jolting Charlie from his thoughts. "Did ya meet anyone yet?"

Charlie's smile faded and the loneliness cloaked over him once again. He shook his head 'no' and then shrugged.

Crew pointed over to a tall, muscular boy who was sitting quietly on his bed, almost in deep thought. "Over there is Frostbite," Crew whispered to Charlie. "He's second in command. He may or may not be leader once Finn goes. He's pretty smart. Before he was a newsie, he went to school. His folks did pretty well; he was middle class. His parents died in a boat accident, and he's been here for as long as I can remember. He's one of the best sellers. You need any help with selling, just go to him."

"That's Teddy," Crew then whispered, gesturing to a thin, wide-eyed thirteen-year-old boy. "He knows everything about everybody. He's kind of what we call a 'bird,' meaning he brings messages to other boroughs. He also likes Shay; she's one of the girls here. We've been trying forever to get those two to sell together."

Next Crew pointed to stern, tall-looking boy with black hair. "You wouldn't know this by looking at him, but he's an amazing writer. He's got the best handwriting out of all of us, even Finn. His name's Timber. He's kind of a loner and is always in a grumpy mood, sort of likes to be separated from the rest of us. He speaks English and French. Lately he's been hanging around with the newsies from the Bowery, a little suspicious, but he's perfectly harmless."

Charlie studied Timber carefully, and decided that if he were to get on the bad side of any of the boys, he wouldn't want it to be him.

"Over there is Apollo," Crew grinned, pointing to a thin, fair skinned boy on one of the bunks in the middle. "We call him that on account of his hair is the color of the sun. He's pretty talkative, never dull."

As if on cue, a cackle-like laugh sounded from his mouth at something another newsie had said to him. Charlie decided this boy would make a good friend.

"That's Cheshire," Crew said and gestured to a muscular, intimidating boy of about eighteen. "He's always getting into fights with newsies from other boroughs. But he looks out for us, and is always cracking jokes."

A brunette, pre-teen kid scampered into the room, nearly knocking into a bunk bed. "That's Fetch," Crew explained to Charlie. "He's another one of our birds. Kid's always hyper, always energetic. He's hell in the morning though; can't get him to shut up." Crew scanned the room, looking for anyone else he failed to mention. "The boy with the dark hair and black suspenders is O'Reilly. He's got a first name, but we just call him by his last name. He's from Scotland or Ireland or something. He doesn't always stay here at the lodging house. He's got a kid sister or something that he has to watch, so he switches between selling papes and working in some factory."

Then Crew pointed to the last newsie in the room. He had shaggy brown hair and looked to be about thirteen or twelve. Unlike the other newsies, he sat by himself, looking around the room nervously and fidgeting. "His name's….No Name," Crew said, shaking his head sympathetically. "Ya gotta love that kid. Poor kid's obsessed with going home, doesn't realize he doesn't have a true home. He's had it worse than any of us. He was…" Crew couldn't finish the sentence.

Charlie looked up at him with his steel blue eyes. Crew looked down at him and shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Anyway, I guess that's everyone for now. You'll meet others later. But for now, I think I should let ya get some sleep. Long day tomorrow."

Charlie nodded.

Crew smiled. "Hey, you got a little sister, right?"

Charlie sighed. "Yeah, her name's Alison."

"You're one of the lucky ones. If Finn hadn't found ya, you might've lost her to the orphanage." Crew said in serious tone.

"I never knew that girls could sell papers,"

Crew laughed. "Well they do. Did ya meet Rain?"

Charlie nodded. "She was going to introduce Alison to everyone in the girl's bunk room."

"You get some sleep, kid," Crew said. "Six o'clock comes fast."

Charlie watched the older boy leave and walk back over to talk to the boy he now knew as Apollo. Charlie ran his fingers along the starchy but clean salmon-colored blanket on his bunk bed. It was nicer than he ever had. He watched as the other boys began to change into bedtime attire, and Charlie, rather embarrassingly, realized he didn't have anything to wear for bed but his own clothes. His clothes weren't that dirty, so it would be okay for a few nights until he found something.

He pulled back the salmon blanket and found one more thin white sheet underneath it. It was softer than the blanket. He unlaced his little boots and let them fall with a clunk to the floor. He placed his cap by his boots and laid down in the bunk. The springs dug into his back slightly, but he didn't mind. It was nicer and more comfortable than he could ever want. He was warm, he was safe, and he felt wanted. And he hoped his baby sister felt the same.

The other boys seemed to be in routine mode. Change into night clothes, walk to the washroom and rinse off the grime from the day, crawl into their bunks, and talk quietly to one another. Charlie laid awake, listening to their conversations. Everyone else ignored the small, new boy who they assumed was asleep. The room was very dark now, and the noises on the street grew quieter. One by one, the conversations ceased. All the coughing and sneezing and laughing and talking was replaced with heavy breathing. Charlie forced his eyes to close, for he could not fall asleep, not in a strange new location. He tried holding his eyelids closed with his fingers.

Suddenly, he heard the stairs creak. Charlie stiffened. Someone was coming up the stairs. He pulled the blankets closer to his nose. The other boys seemed to be asleep. The steps creaked until there was shuffling of footsteps. The door to the bunkroom creaked open and a lantern stuck itself through the darkness. Charlie squinted in the dim light. He could barely make out the facial features of Benson, the lodging house caretaker. Charlie instantly squeezed his eyes shut, just in case Benson would be angry with him for not sleeping. Benson checked to make sure the boys were asleep before turning around and shutting the door behind him again.

Charlie waited till he heard the footsteps go back down the stairs. He let out a breath and opened his eyes again. But because he had had them closed for that long, he felt sleepy. He yawned and then allowed himself to put his worries aside and close his eyes again, this time falling into a deep sleep as all the exhaustion of the events of today hit him at once.

~%%%%%%%~

**Several hours before in the girls' bunkroom**

Alison watched as the door was shut behind her, cutting her off from her brother, her one protector. She suddenly felt overwhelmed and the familiar feeling of hot tears began building up in her eyes, her stomach turning nervously on spin-cycle. The tall girl who introduced herself as Rain smiled softly down at her. She bent down to meet her height. Alison noticed how pretty the girl looked. It wasn't a flawless beauty, but an almost subtle elegance hidden underneath a mask of tough exterior and unkempt appearance. Rain pursed her lips and softly took the child's soft hand. "Again, my name is Rain. And you're Alison, right? That's a very pretty name for a very pretty little girl," the older girl cooed.

Alison wanted to smile, wanted to giggle. But the unknown feeling of her surroundings made that impossible. Instead, Alison nodded, not trying to seem self-absorbed, but because she was so nervous without her brother. Rain looked at Alison's delicate but seemingly worn clothes. Her woolen stockings were ripped at the knees and torn down the side of her ankle. Her little dress that reached just above her knees had a once cheerful design of flowers across the hem-line, but looked faded with age. Her golden, soft hair was plaited in two loose braids, held together shakily by mismatching ribbons. "I like your ribbons," Rain said, softly, adding a small chuckle as Alison blushed.

"Thank you," the small child squeaked. "Mama made them,"

Rain's heart melted for this little girl. "You wanna come and meet the others? I promise they're all girls. They're really friendly. We all like each other here." Rain smiled and held out her hand.

Alison nodded and took the older girl's hand. Rain grinned warmly and stood back up, walking with the small girl to where the others were.

The girls seemed to take instant notice of the little girl, unlike the reaction the boys had when Charlie was introduced. A chorus of 'aww' and 'she's so cute' chimed inside Alison's ear. Unlike Charlie, she liked the attention and didn't mind being treated like a baby.

"Who is she?" One girl asked. "Where did she come from?"

"Did you find her?" Another asked. "Was that Finn at the door a moment ago?"

Rain held up her hand, silencing them. "Give her a minute to breath," Rain said, her tone of voice changing from when she was talking to Alison. She took the little one's hand again. "This is Alison," she paused for a moments and bent down next to the girl. "Do you have a last name, sweetie?"

"Conlon," Alison choked out in barely a whisper.

Rain nodded and straightened back up. "This is Alison Conlon. She and her brother were brought here to be newsies."

"Aww, that's so adorable!" One girl cooed.

"How old's her brother?" Another girl wondered and then cracked up.

"Way too young for you," Rain answered her, laughing as well. "So I thought in order to make Alison feel a bit more comfortable, we could all introduce ourselves and say how old we are and what we like about being a newsie." Rain suggested, nodding at the ingeniousness of her own idea.

One girl scrunched her eyebrows. "Rain, are you seriously playing mommy right now?"

Rain shrugged. "Come on, you'd want everyone to make you feel welcome if you were a little girl in a strange new place." Rain sat down on one of the bunks beds and pulled Alison onto her lap. "I'll start," she said and cleared her throat. She smiled and looked at the little girl on her lap. "Once again, I'm Rain," she said, giggling at how many times the poor little girl had heard this. "I'm sixteen years old, and what I like about being a newsie is that no matter how lost or how alone you feel, you always have a family with the newsies. Always a sense of belonging."

Alison smiled. The others clapped and faked astonishment, brushing away fake tears. "That was so deep," one girl said, pretending to cry. Rain smirked and hit her with the pillow from the bunk she was on.

The girl who caught the pillow went next. Alison studied her carefully. Girl with the pillow had long, black-blue hair and had blue eyes, which seemed to be her distinguishing feature. She was quite tall, perhaps taller than Rain. She had pouty lips, a ballet-dancer frame. She also had a bigger chest than most of the girls. "Well, my name is Faylinn. It's my real name, I didn't want a nickname. I'm seventeen years old, and I love being a newsie because it gives you a place to sleep." She said. The others looked at her, as if expecting more. "What? I'm not gonna sugar-coat it for the kid," she said smiling.

She threw the pillow to another girl with dirty blond hair, a small nose that turned up slightly at the end, bow-shaped lips and emerald green eyes. The girl was also petite and a little muscular-looking. She looked right at Alison and began, "I'm Elphia, but everyone calls me Elfie. I'll be sixteen next April. What I like about being a newgirl is the fresh air we get. I would hate to have been a mill girl and be cooped up all day inside a factory. As a newsie, you can run around and do as you please."

Alison nodded. She liked the outdoors. This Elfie girl seemed smart and probably was, too. Alison decided if she needed any help counting money or buying papers, she'd go to her.

Next went a younger looking girl. Her strawberry blond hair seemed slightly tinted and was in a single braid, like many of the other girls. She had broad shoulders and looked very skinny, but had muscular legs. "Hi," she said, a giggling-playful air to her voice. "My name is Shaylee, but you can call me Shay. I'm fourteen and a half years old, and I like being a newsie because..." she paused and thought.

A girl Alison hadn't met yet poked her. "Because of Teddy?" The other girls giggled.

Shaylee's cheeks turned a rose color and she hung her head. "No..." she said, and then she shrugged. "I like being a Brooklyn newsie because after selling, you can swim. And swimming is my favorite."

"Besides Teddy," the same girl added.

"Shut up!" Shaylee yelled, throwing the pillow at her face. The girl muffled a laugh as the pillow hit her.

After the giggling died down, the new girl with the pillow went. Unlike the other girls, her dark brown hair hung loose, not in any kind of braid or bun. Her light brown eyes were average, but her smile looked enchanting. Heck, it wasn't even a smile, more like a smirk. "I'm Odette, my parents were from Germany. I'm sixteen, and I like being a newsie because no matter how sad you are, it's comforting to know there's a room full of twenty appealing guys in the room across the hall to comfort you."

The others cracked up except Rain who pointed to Alison and shook her head. Odette smirked and quickly said, "I mean, the local restaurants have really good food."

The last girl to go reminded Alison of a fairytale character her mama used to read to her. It was a girl named Snow White, if she could recall correctly. She had pale skin, long black hair, cherry-colored lips, and soft green eyes. She seemed to be the smallest of the group and hadn't spoken yet. "My name is Kloden. I'm thirteen years old and I'm not really sure what I like about being a newsie. Everything everyone else mentioned are my reasons too."

Rain grinned and hugged the little girl on her lap. "You see? It's not so bad here. And don't worry about getting everyone's names right. You'll get there."

Alison shivered in Rain's arms and nodded slightly. "I'll get you ready for bed," Rain said to her sweetly. The other girls smiled at Alison and waved before resuming their previous conversations.

Rain took Alison into the washroom and took a once-white washcloth and rinsed it with warm water. She rung out the water and then gently went to cleaning the dirt off of the young girl's face. "There, now I can see your pretty face," Rain said softly to the child who giggled.

Kloden and Shaylee walked into the washroom, happily giggling about something. Alison watched as they washed their faces in the sink. They brushed their hair, which was wavy from the braids, and then unlaced their boots.

Elfie, Faylinn, and Odette soon joined them in the washroom. The girls seemed to be walking a routine. Brush hair, rinse face, and change into nightclothes.

A small water fight occurred involving Odette splashing Kloden and Shaylee with sink water. But Rain payed no attention to her fellow "sisters" if you will. Rain had made it her duty to look after Alison.

She delicately undid the ribbons in Alison's hair and then worked her fingers through the golden braids, unraveling each one.

Rain took up the wooden comb and brushed through the tangly, wavy hair until Alison's golden tresses were smooth. Her hair was dirty, but that could be washed tomorrow. Alison's hair was long for a four year old; it reached her mid-back. She hasn't cut it since her mama died.

Gently, Rain began to unbutton Alison's pinafore. Instantly, Alison tensed and spun to face the older girl. Rain smiled reassuringly. "I promise you'll get it back," she said warmly. "I want you to be comfortable when you sleep." Rain explained.

Alison nodded and raised her arms over her head, allowing Rain to slip it off. "Let's get you something to sleep in, yes?" Rain got up from her knees and disappeared into the girl's bunk room. When she returned, she was carrying a white nightgown. "It's Kloden's old one. She's the smallest out of us, so hers will have to do until we can find you something. It will be a bit big."

Alison allowed Rain to slip it onto her. It was way to big on her, it billowed out around her like a balloon. Rain chuckled. "It do for now,"

Next, Rain got up and locked the door on the opposite side of the washroom. "I don't want the boys to walk in while we're changing," she explained to Alison.

"But don't they have to change to?"

"They usually get undressed in their room." Rain said, but it sounded more like a guess. Rain peeled off the child's stockings and boots. "There." Rain said, satisfied with her work. "Now you're ready for bed."

Cautiously, Alison picked up the too-long skirt of the nightgown and scurried over to the small mirror, her baby feet pitter-pattering on the floor. She looked into the mirror slowly, curious by the much cleaner looking girl in a too long nightgown with brushed blonde hair staring back at her.

She watched as the other girls continued their nightly routine. They all wore white night caps that tied under their chins. Alison watched Rain brush her hair. It was long and straight, soft curls at the end of each lock. It reminded Alison if her mother's hair. It wasn't red like Rain's, it was blonde, but it was soft and long like that.

Only Odette, Faylinn, and Rain wore corsets. They helped each other uncinch theirs, and then put them away in their room. They also were the only ones who wore skirts and then a shirt, which they discarded for nightgowns.

Elfie, Shaylee, and Kloden wore dresses that reached their ankles. Earth tones seemed to be the popular color, and cotton or wool was the desired material.

Alison watched with curiosity as they pulled off their stockings and replaced them with tight knee-length leggings.

Rain came over and swooped the small child up in her arms. She carried her to a bunk bed and set her on the lower bunk. Kloden got into the bunk above her. "Goodnight, Alison," Kloden whispered with a smile.

Alison returned a soft smile. Rain undid the salmon and white covers for her as Alison slipped into bed. Rain tucked her in and smoothed back her hair.

Shaylee and Elfie waved goodnight to her, and Odette and Faylinn wished her goodnight. Alison closed her eyes and smiled softly to herself. Was this what having sisters was like? Was this what having a real family was? She didn't know for sure, but she enjoyed it. Rain laid a soft kiss on her forehead. "Sleep tight, Allie. I'll be in the bunk right next to yours if you need me."

Alison half nodded. Had she called her Allie? She didn't mind. It made her feel like she belonged. The last thing she thought of was her brother. Was he as content to be there as she was? Were the boys nice to him? She hoped so. She didn't want to leave. She loved everything so far.

Her eyes felt heavy and she drifted off to sleep easily, the comforts of the bed relaxing her. She wasn't awake when Benson came into tell the older girls to go to sleep. She hasn't slept that well in a while. And she hoped her brother had fallen asleep as easily too.


End file.
